The International Center of Excellence in Food Risk Communication (ICEFRC) is a collaborative global initiative to promote effective risk communication and informed decision-making about food from farm to fork. Since 2011, it has substantially increased its membership and, through its newly revamped website, www.foodriskcommunications.org, provides timely resources, insights and expertise to more than 6,500 international health professionals, stakeholders and consumers from more than 90 countries on six continents.

The founding partners of ICEFRC are Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), Health Canada, the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, the National Center for Food Protection and Defense, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Joining them over ICEFRC’s first four years were the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Food Communication Compass Japan, Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Ghana (STEPRI) and the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA).

“This risk communication website is an extremely valuable tool, providing agencies like FSANZ with access to resources and the ability to share information with like agencies around the world,” said Food Standards Australia New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Steve McCutcheon.

“In a world where communication happens at an astounding speed and issues can quickly spiral out of control, having access to this information and good relationships and contacts with other agencies dealing with risk and food is essential.”

Be sure to “like” ICEFRC on Facebook and follow it on Twitter for key resources related to food risk communication.